From the Chairman …

The Symphony Orchestra has been hard at work preparing for
this programme which is full of challenges but such fun to play. The
‘Sicilian Vespers’ is quite unlike anything I have ever played in
my 40+ years with the Orchestra – so operatic, so ‘heart on
sleeve’ whereas the Tchaikovsky Symphony is full of delightful ballet
music. In between Malcolm Arnold shows off his wonderful talent for
creating orchestral colour with Sam in charge and then our own Rob Blanken will
give us a dazzling performance of Weber’s very fresh and original
concerto. It’s hard to believe it was written in 1811.

You will see from the programme book that we have received
generous sponsorship for this concert by Beryl Harding and by the Bedhampton
Charitable Trust. Without such help it would be difficult to continue so
we are extremely grateful to them.

The programme for our festive 50th anniversary season will be
announced at our next concert in May. At present we have to be even more
aware than usual of financial restrictions but I’m sure you will agree
when you see it that this is a splendid programme. There is one last item
to be finalised: we would like to include a major very festive and entertaining
work by Malcolm Arnold but it would have to be hired, would incur Performing
Right Society fees as it is copyright and would need a harp, all of which
amounts to over £600. We have very viable alternatives but if you
and/or a group of friends feel able to support all or part of the cost then
please get in touch urgently.

Still on the inevitable subject of money, my own contribution
is to ask for sponsorship as I walk 1000 miles during 2011. I’ve
done over 200 miles already and I should raise nearly £700 if I make it
to the 1000. If you would like to sponsor me say for 1p/mile or
½p/mile perhaps we can make the £1000. The forms will be with
Geoff Porter on the Friends’ table or you can contact me
direct.

Back to more exciting things. See below for
details of our Concerto Evening at Hayling Island on 10 June. I hope to
see you there and of course at Ferneham Hall on Saturday.

Tony Gutteridge
(023 9247 4681 or acg@waitrose.com)

Saturday 26 March - Music and Events

6.30

Pre-concert talk for ’grown-ups’ by David Goodall
–
Tchaikovsky and his ‘Polish’ Symphony

Notes from the Conductor …

We have been having a lot of pleasure in working on
Tchaikovsky’s 3rd Symphony. Just why it remains the least played of
his 7 (8) symphonies is a perplexing mystery since it is chock full of stirring
music with memorable melodies, driving rhythms and confident, colourful
instrumental textures. Its nickname The Polish creates a
superficial expectation of national flavour but, apart from the closing
movement’s bracketed designation Tempo di Polacca, (literally
‘in the time and rhythm of a polonaise’ – which it isn’t!)
there is nothing particularly Polish about the symphony at all – it is
pure Russian and about as Tchaikovskian as you can get. As for the
spurious programme concocted in this symphony’s early years concerning
the fall and rise of Poland’s fortunes – we can dismiss that fairy-tale
out of hand. Thus, unimpeded by these fanciful notions, we can enjoy
Tchaikovsky’s 3rd Symphony for its basic appealing qualities – and marvel
at the resurgence in creativity from a composer whose first piano concerto had
recently taken such a critical battering.

Despite the fact that it is the only one of the
composer’s symphonies in a major key and its inspiration extended to five
rather then the usual four movements, the sonic fingerprints are massively
Tchaikovskian. However, this is Tchaikovsky transformed. The
familiar gloomy, doubt-ridden opening (bracketed ‘Tempo di marcia
funebre’) is soon banished never to return. With a gradual
quickening of speed the first movement’s main theme – an energetic march
– emerges as bright as a button. The more reflective secondary theme on
wistful oboe is energised with lively dance accompaniment from the strings
which is more ‘Polacca’ than anything found in the finale.
You cannot help but be carried along in the general sweep of this opening
movement and its ever-exciting closing pages are as inspiring as anything the
composer produced.

Prepare to be transported to different lands in the three
central movements - a balletic German dance (why and how ‘German’?,
I muse); a folk-like Andante having some darker Slavonic hues with prominent
solos for bassoon and horn and a heart-stoppingly beautiful string melody; then
a fearsomely difficult Arctic scherzo whose wispy thematic material seems
fashioned out of the slenderest of ideas.

Down to more characteristic Russian earth in the Finale.
Tchaikovsky’s Italian mood/speed title of Allegro con fuoco
(literally ‘lively and fiery’) seems to me a trifle impetuous – at
least until the
wind-up in the closing bars. So I am adopting a more
majestic approach to this three-legged march – which oddly brings it more in
line with a typical Polonaise (help!). If there is one minor weakness in
the momentum it lies in an overuse of imitative counterpoint and fugal
hold-ups. Rather naughtily I am excising one of these fugal sections
altogether which will please fans of Sir Thomas Beecham who did the
same.

At the time of one-finger typing the make-up of the orchestra
is in quite a fluid state with several ‘regulars’ missing.
Tony Gutteridge has taken over the mantle of squad organiser and you will see a
number of unfamiliar faces – to whom very many thanks for playing on
Saturday. You could try to guess their nationalities but as far as I
know, none of them is Polish – neither is the symphony.

Peter Craddock

UPBEAT CLUB! at 6.30

Hello all Young (and young-at-heart) Concert
Attenders!

Saturday’s pre-concert talk will be all about the
instruments of the orchestra so please come to the Meon Room at 6.30pm and if
you play an orchestral instrument, please bring it with you.

If you don’t already play an instrument - or you’d
like to try a different one, I shall have a selection with me.

It’s going to be an exciting time as I’m planning
to have the photo session that didn’t happen in February (when I had an
accident on the concert afternoon) so please look your best! Please
tell your parents/guardians about this as the photos will be used …… to launch our NEW ... UPBEAT CLUB website… and they must give
permission for the photos to be taken and for me to post them on the website as
well. If they would like more information about our exciting plans,
please ask them to contact me: by mobile: 07966 216 887 or e-mail:
becky.hill@rocketmail.com.

I’m looking forward to seeing you all on Saturday and
telling you lots about the instruments and the website.

Becky Hill

CDs for Sale (1)

Viv McLean, piano soloist in February, unexpectedly brought
copies of his debut CD to the concert but he forgot to take the remainder
home. They will be on sale on Saturday at the Table in the Foyer and cost
£10.00.

A Rather Special Evening

Thursday 31st March, 7.30 pm at Stansted House, Rowlands
Castle.

Becky Hill’s Nadina String Quartet playing
Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik; the 1st movement of Haydn's "The Lark"
quartet and a Rondo by Beethoven. Followed by a group of young musicians
playing music the audience has chosen!

Tickets, £7.50 including refreshments, can be reserved
or purchased from The Stansted Park Office on 023 9241 2265.

Concertos galore-rious!

An extravaganza with Havant’s (Symphony Orchestra) ALL
STARS

Rachmaninov, Mozart, Lalo, Mendelssohn, to
name but a few …

with …
viola
clarinet
french horn
piano
cello
violin
basset horn

Friday 10 June
7.00 - 9.30 pm

HAYLING ISLAND COMMUNITY CENTRE
THE PARK, STATION ROADHAYLING ISLAND

Tickets:

SEASON TICKET HOLDERS & ORCHS’ FRIENDS -
£4.00;

OTHERS - £5.00 except …..Under
18s - just £1.00

On sale on SATURDAY at the Table in the Foyer and soon at the
Community Centre

Adverts in our Programme

We would like to expand the range of adverts in the Programme
Book. If: you have a business that would benefit from such
exposure or: you would like to help the Society by approaching possible
customers, please contact Tony or Sandra –
023 9248 3228. We hope to hear from you soon.

A big ‘thank you’ …

… to the kind supporters who replenished the
Poster-distribution Section’s envelope stock.

It was an amazing response and much appreciated. We are
always happy to receive A4 size envelopes and are equally happy to dispense
posters to willing ‘poster-posters’!

STOP PRESS – Friends’ Garden Party

Book Sunday 12 JUNE now changed to Sunday 19 JUNE 3.00pm for
The Friends’ Garden Party
in Fareham.